


Easy Days

by lettersofold



Category: Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys - My Chemical Romance (Album), My Chemical Romance, The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys (Comic)
Genre: Assumed Character Death, Better Living Industries, Danger Days Era, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/F, F/M, FTM Kobra Kid (Danger Days), Hurt Kobra Kid, Hurt Party Poison, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, M/M, Nonbinary Party Poison (Danger Days), Nonbinary Show Pony (Danger Days), Not Really Character Death, Other, Protective Killjoys, Protective Siblings, Protectiveness, The Fabulous Killjoys (Danger Days) Are Not MCR, Torture, Trans Kobra Kid (Danger Days), Zones Religion and Lore (Fabulous Killjoys), Zones Slang (Fabulous Killjoys)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-20
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:26:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23760793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lettersofold/pseuds/lettersofold
Summary: It was just a normal supply run up into Zone 3. Kobra Kid should've been fine.Except he'd been gone going on four hours now, and his jacket and helmet lay discarded in the orange dust on the eastern edge of Zone 4. His motorbike, one of the things The Kid loved so goddamn much was beat to shit. Plenty of new dents marred the frame and the paint was peeling.Party Poison picked up the dusty red jacket and hugged it to their chest, pieces of the desert sticking to their skin.  As they looked back toward Fun Ghoul and Jet Star, the eldest killjoys stomach twisted into anxious knots, the expressions on the others' face doing nothing to quell his fears."This is a Drac infested area..." Ghoul trailed off, a concerned expression gracing his face as he leaned back against the hood of the Trans Am.Party noticed the uncertainty in his voice, and the twisting in his stomach rose into a firey anger. Was Ghoul trying to imply something?"If you are going to say he's dead, I don't want to hear it," Poison growled, staring pointedly at the youngest of the three. "He's out there somewhere. We need to bring him home."
Relationships: Agent Cherri Cola & Kobra Kid (Danger Days), Agent Cherri Cola/Kobra Kid (Danger Days), Dr. Death Defying & Show Pony (Danger Days), Dr. Death Defying/Show Pony (Danger Days), Fun Ghoul & Jet Star & Kobra Kid & Motorbaby & Party Poison (Danger Days), Fun Ghoul & Jet Star & Kobra Kid & Party Poison (Danger Days), Fun Ghoul/Party Poison (Danger Days), Kobra Kid & Korse, Kobra Kid & Party Poison (Danger Days)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 34





	1. All the things we tell ourselves

It was just a normal supply run up into Zone 3. Kobra Kid should've been fine.

Except he'd been gone going on four hours now, and his jacket and helmet lay discarded in the orange dust on the eastern edge of Zone 4. His motorbike, one of the things  
The Kid loved so goddamn much was beat to shit. Plenty of new dents marred the frame and the paint was peeling.   
  
Party Poison picked up the dusty red jacket and hugged it to their chest, pieces of the desert sticking to their skin. As they looked back toward Fun Ghoul and Jet Star, the eldest killjoys stomach twisted into anxious knots, the expressions on the others' face doing nothing to quell his fears.  
  
"This is a Drac infested area..." Ghoul trailed off, a concerned expression gracing his face as he leaned back against the hood of the Trans Am.   
Party noticed the uncertainty in his voice, and the twisting in his stomach rose into a firey anger. Was Ghoul trying to imply something?   
  
"If you are going to say he's dead, I don't want to hear it," Poison growled, staring pointedly at the youngest of the three. "He's out there somewhere. We need to bring him home."   
  
"I want to follow you Pois, but we need to be realistic," Jet paused, looking up to the green tinted sky with a sigh, and then glanced over to Ghoul. "If they got their hands on him hours ago, we have no idea how far they could have taken him by now. He's probably already up at one of the outposts."   
  
The oldest of the three shuddered, squeezing their brother's jacket tighter in their fists. Bile rose in the leader's throat at the thought of their baby brother being in the hands of Korse and his exterminators. Poison wanted to hit something.   
  
"We're gonna get him back, I promise." Jet told them, moving to pull Kobra's helmet out of the sand and shaking it out. "Let's head back 'n tell Doc and Cherri. We aren't fixing anything just standing around here."   
  
"I'll take Kobe's bike back," Ghoul piped up behind them, pulling himself away from the Trans Am. "Jet's right Pois, we'll bring him home."   
  
Poison nodded, knowing that, of fucking course they'd bring Kobra home. But there was no telling what state he'd be in when they did.   
Party attempted to stamp down the guilt that was blooming in their chest. They shouldn't have let Kobra go alone. If they had just pulled their head out their ass and quit arguing with The Kid that morning, he wouldn't have gone on that run by himself. Party would have been with him.   
  
Shaking their head, they fished the keys to the Am out of his pocket, and held it out to Jet, whose eyebrows rose at the offer.   
  
"You drive." Party grunted, not in the mood for explanations. If he drove at the moment, he might not take them back to Doctor D, he'd probably drive straight up to an outpost to torture some Dracs into giving him Kobra's whereabouts.   
  
Jet looked warily at their leader, before trading them the helmet for the 'Am's keys.   
  
"Stay close," Jet called as Ghoul pulled the bike out of the sand, "we don't know how many Dracs are still hangin' around."   
Party stalked over and grabbed Kobra's helmet, before whipping back around towards the Trans Am. They pulled open the passenger side door, and fell into Kobra's usual seat.   
  
Ghoul cocked his head, and gave Jet a look that radiated concern. Party rarely let any of the other four drive. And usually it took a lot of arguing before someone else was given the keys. So the fact that Poison was freely handing them over to Jet meant their leader was far more rattled than they were letting on, and it put Ghoul even more on edge.   
  
The dark-haired Killjoy pulled his bandana up over his face, and threw on his aviators, "See you at the Doc's?" Ghoul called, doing his best to shrug off the fear crawling up his throat.   
  
Poison grunted, and slammed the door on the Trans Am shut. Jet attempted to flash a smile, as he stood near the driver's side door, but it came out weak. "Yeah."   
Sliding into the car, Jet glanced at Party, and knew that if Kobra came back in worse shape than he left the diner in, there would be hell to pay.   
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
A few zones away, a blond killjoy groaned and cracked open his eyes, to find everything still pitch black.   
  
"Wha-" Kobra tried ask, voice getting caught by a heavy kick to his ribs. Groaning, he rolled onto his side, causing fabric to rub against his face, and too-tight bracelettes to dig into his skin.   
  
A bag. There was a bag over his head and cuffs on his wrists. Panic began to creep into the killjoy's throat, and he tugged against his restraints.   
  
"The prisoner is awake, sir," An toneless voice broke the silence.   
  
"Remove it." Shit.   
  
The killjoy was violently pulled into a sitting position and the bag was ripped from his head. Squinting at the brightness, the grip on his jaw was bruising as his face was forced upwards. Making eye contact with Korse, the exterminator's face curled into a grin.  
  
"You know, I was looking for Party Poison," He told the Killjoy with a smirk, " but I found you. All on your own. It's almost like they wanted me to catch you."   
  
"That isn't true." Indignation crept into Kobra's voice.

"Oh, is it not? Then what is it that you do for them?"  
  
Realizing the intention of the question, Kobra clamped his jaw shut, settling for silence.   
  
Korse let out a satisfied hum, and gave him almost a pitying look. It was strange to see on his face, and made Kobra's stomach churn.   
  
With that, he released The Kid, who quickly pulled back, away from the exterminator who was kneeling infront of him. The killjoy looked around shakily, taking in the white interior of the van, and the four other Draculoids pointing their ray guns at him.   
  
Kobra felt the van come to a stop and, despite his disorientation, spun around to shove at the handle on the rear door. However, he was stopped short by a hand grasping his hair and yanking him away.   
  
The doors swung open and Kobra was pulled to his feet, the Dracs half-dragging him out of the van. Looking up, his body went cold at the leering skyscrapers and cold colorlessness.   
  
They had brought him into the city.   
  
Grunting, Kobra struggled to free himself from the Dracs grip. They only tightened their hold, enough for the killjoy to let out a yelp of pain, and think about the fingershaped bruises that would grace his skin the next day.

If they let him live that long.  
  
The Kid was yanked through an entrance to one of the bleak looking buildings he had been gazing before, and led down the hallways. Not wanting to focus on the stark white of the building, or the bleakness of the situation, he began counting. If he wanted to know how to get out, he needed to know how he got inside.   
Four hundred and six paces forward, then turn right, fourty five paces and then a left, he counted. fifty seven more. An elevator up twelve floors, a right outside the elevator, six more paces, a left, forward seventy two paces.   
  
The Dracs stopped before a clear door, the same as all of the others lining the hallway. One pulled a key card from it's belt and swiped it. It emitted a clicking sound at the release of the lock, and the killjoy was unceremoniously shoved inside. As he spun back around, the door shut and the lock clicked into place.   
  
Sighing, the killjoy spun around to survey his quarters. The cell was empty, except for a small barred window, too high to look out of unless he stood on the tips of his toes, a toilet, and a slab of metal, that he assumed meant to serve as a bed. Everything was monochrome.   
  
Kobra brought cuffed hands to rub at his chest. Dropping down onto the bed, he rested his still cuffed hands into his lap. The panic was catching up with him, body shaking and heart hammering against his rib cage. He couldn't breathe. Curling his knees up to his chest, he dropped his forehead onto his knees, and tried not to allow himself to spiral.   
  
He wants his crew.  
  
He wants Party.   
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
As Trans Am pulled up in front of Death Defying's place, and the older killjoy gripping more tightly to their younger brother's jacket caught Jet's attention. He forced down his growing concern. Kobra was Party's brother, despite how much Jet cared about him, and it felt almost wrong to be as terrified as he felt.   
  
Pushing the door open Party forced himself up, reluctantly dropping the red leather jacket in the passenger's seat. Shutting the door, he leaned heavily against the 'Am, anxiety seeming to eat away at his energy.   
  
The rumble of the bike caught Poison's attention and made his heart jump with hope. Seconds later that annoyingly destroying reaction bringing him back to the reality that it was just Ghoul who was flying in from the cloud of dust.   
  
"The Zones are quiet," Ghoul mentioned, after the bike skidded to a stop, and he turned it off. "It's weird."  
  
Entering the radio station, the three were uncharacteristically quiet, unnerving to the Doctor and Show Pony when they noticed the three's presence. The older man wasn't sure he had ever seen The Four like this.  
  
Usually Party would show up demanding one thing or another, with the tallest of the four behind them, an apologetic smile gracing his face. Behind or next to the two of them would be a ranting Fun Ghoul, a wide display of movement, prone to knocking over the tower of vinyls that sat near the door. Lastly, Kobra Kid with all his jagged edges, hanging back in the door way, cutting in for a biting remark that would lead to punches being thrown between the two youngest.   
  
But now his station was graced with three long-faced motorbabies looking as shaken as the day they'd first been brought to him. Fear slithered into the back of his mind at the empty space near the door, which told him all he needed to know about how it connected to the 'crow's earlier transmissions.   
  
"Hey babe," Show stood from the couch, and in true Pony fashion was in Party's space before D could tell them to hang back. They reached down and gripped the red-head's hands, and, suprisingly, Party didn't pull away. Show glanced between the three 'joys. "You're missing someone, huh?"   
  
The mildness of their tone was so different than the usual flirtatious and animated one that they took up when talking to most of the killjoys, that D's urge to call Pony back was dropped. Party's pinched expression seemed to relax.  
  
"We came to see if you could tell us anything. Anything at all," Jet told them glancing between Show and Death.   
  
"We may have, but it's not definitive," Doc told them.   
  
Party jerked his hands from Show's hold and turned to Death, "What is it?" It came out as a growl. 

"You aren't going to like it," Death warned, knowing what he was about to say was going to destroy kids that were standing in front of him.   
  
"Just tell us," Fun Ghoul choked, speaking for the first time, nervously running his hand through hid dark hair.   
  
"There was a rumor over the waves weeks back that they could pull memories from a ghosted joys head," Death's voice was low, and his chest was already aching for the devastation that this would cause. Jet's face was already going white, catching onto what Doc was saying before it was said flat out. "Heard over some of BL/I's waves that they brought a joy into the city. A dusted joy they'd ghosted themselves."   
  
Party grabbed their hair and tugged.   
  
"Are you sure? What zone did they pull them from?" Ghoul was pulling at straws now, but he needed The Kid to be alive.  
  
"Out in Zone 4."   
  
Poison, who had gone completely white, made a strangled noise and fell to their knees. 

  
  



	2. To Feel a Little Better

Kobra had no idea how long he was sitting there, restrained hands resting around his knees, trying to think of any possible way out of this. It had to have been awhile, considering the ache in his back and the darkening of his cell as the light of day began to fade. He was startled out of his thoughts by the loud beep that came with the opening of the cell door.   
  
His head snapped up and he was met with the sight of Korse in the doorway, flanked by two Dracs. The Kid's heart shot into his throat, and he pressed himself backwards against the wall of his cell.   
  
"I need some information," Korse broke the silence, the sound grating against the youngest killjoys ears, "And you are going to give it to me."   
  
Despite the fear, Kobra managed a scathing look and stayed silent.  
  
At the continued soundlessness, the exterminator cocked his head, mouth curling into a twisted smile, and waved a hand towards the Draculoids behind him.   
  
"Being difficult, Kobra Kid, will do nothing to help you."  
  
With that one of the Dracs stalked forward, a metal baton in it's hand, and pressed it into the killjoys side.   
  
Suddenly, there was only white hot pain, and Kobra couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. He screamed.   
  
It seemed to last years, but was more likely only a couple of seconds, before the Drac pulled back. Kobra swayed and rested his head against the wall.  
  
"Something simple, a location of a safehouse, a name," Korse told him, moving closer to the Killjoy. "As broad as a zone or a reason that you left the city. Anything. Tell me and I'll remove your restraints."   
  
It was tempting, especially because the cuffs had cut into his skin from thrashing when he was tased, and blood was beginning to run down between his fingers.   
  
Kobra wiped his still shaking hands on his pants, and turned his face away from Korse. The exterminator wasn't going to have the satisfaction of winning if Kobra had any say. Korse sauntered forwards and grabbed the killjoys jaw, turning his face so that the two were eye to eye.  
  
The Kid scowled and spit in the exterminator's face.   
  
Korse's expression immediatly flipped from vaguely amused to disgusted, and he gestured for the Draculoid again.   
  
The firey pain was back and Kobra screamed, vision tunneling and pain exploding in his mouth.   
  
Falling onto his side, the pain subsided and the killjoy gasped, sucking in air that he couldn't get seconds ago, and tasting blood from biting his tongue. More blood ran from cuts around his wrists and Kobra winced.   
  
Korse knelt down, and pushed the killjoy's bleached hair out of his eyes. Kobra shuddered at the contact, reminded of Cherri waking him up on mornings when it was quiet in the zones. When they could afford to lay around and waste most of the day just being together.   
  
Or on his bad days, when everything seemed too loud and bright and everything hurt, and Poison would rub his back and his neck while The Kid's head was pillowed in their lap.   
  
"Kobra Kid," Korse's voice snapped him from his thoughts.   
  
The killjoy clenched his jaw, and the exterminator sighed waving his hand at the dracs. He had the audacity to look dissapointed. Kobra would have tried to hit him if he had the energy.  
  
Then the white hot pain was back and then everything went black.   
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Back at the station, Party's intital reaction had startled everyone. They were always the last to show their emotions, and when they did, the positives usually came out in a flourish of egotistical confidence and the negatives in a biting anger. Death had suspected the Poison might yell and leave broken vinyls and CDs in their wake. He hadn't suspected that the oldest killjoy would fall to their knees and let out sob that sounded more like a strangled scream. He also had no idea that they'd then sit there in a daze, quietly muttering a mix of "no" and "Mikey" over and over again.  
  
Fun Ghoul's entire body had slumped, and he leaned into Jet Star who looked ready to lose the PowerPup from that morning.   
  
Jet was trying his best to hold it together, and he wrapped an arm around Ghoul to keep himself from falling apart. To remind him that there were two other killjoys who needed him. Once they were back at the diner, and they'd told Cherri and Motorbaby... Shit how was he going to tell them.  
  
Ghoul wasn't sure how to react. Yeah The Kid got on his nerves with the snippy comments, but he loved him. Regret churned in his stomach, and he was about to up-chuck himself. He hadn't been speaking to Kobra that morning when he sped off, mostly because of a fight the night before. He'd said things that he was now going to regret for the rest of his life.   
  
_"What do you even do huh?! Sit here making asshole remarks and being a giant dick, but you can't even hold yourself in a fire fight. I can tell you that the only reason you're here is cause you're Party's little brother. Jet's kickass in a fight, and he can fix us up, I've taken out loads of Dracs with the bombs I've made, and Party leads us. What is it you do?"_  
  
Witch, Ghoul wanted to fucking die.   
  
Show Pony looked uselessly between the three grieving Killjoys and back to Dr. D, whose face was the most morose and lost they'd ever seen it, before dropping down onto their knees and pulling Poison into a hug.   
  
"It's gonna be okay, Sugar," Show whispered to them, not really knowing if it was.  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Consiousness came back slowly, and everything ached. Cracking his eyes open, Kobra squeezed them shut again at the brightness of the world around him. The harsh white was doing nothing for his pounding head.   
  
Slowly opening his eyes again, the world swam into focus, and the pain-filled memories of what he assumed was yesterday evening made his breath hitch. Moving to sit up, he looked down, and the white of his shirt caught his attention.   
  
They'd changed his clothes while he was asleep. That was pretty fucking weird, and the thought made him vaguely nauseous. Well, that could also be the lack of water and fact that he was electrocuted three times the prior day as well.   
  
His hands were still cuffed, and the now scabbed over cuts were beginning re-open. He moved to wipe the beading blood from his wrists onto his all white pants, when the click of the lock on his cell door caught his attention.   
  
"Don't do that," Korse was back, and Kobra shrunk away from him as the the exterminator came to sit next to him on the bed.   
  
Setting down what looked like a roll of bandages and a cloth, Korse reached for The Kid's hands. Kobra flinched back as Korse reached for his wrist.  
  
"If those aren't cleaned they'll get infected," the killjoy stared warily at him, but allowed the exterminator to hold his wrist and release the cuffs.   
  
Korse worked in silence, cleaning out the deep gouges, the rag almost completely pink. Korse noticed that the killjoy seemed to be enjoying the freedom of his hands.   
  
"I won't put the restraints back on if you give me some information," Korse told him as he wrapped Kobra's wrists.   
  
Kobra seemed to contemplate it for a minute, voice raspy from lack of use, before saying, "Dr. Death Defying."   
  
"We already know of him."   
  
"You said any name, that's a name."   
  
"Yes, that it is," With that, Korse finished fixing Kobra's wrists. Reaching out he cupped Kobra's jaw and gave him that pitying look the blonde had seen the day prior.   
  
"Wait," Kobra said, as Korse pulled his hand away and turned to leave. "Why do you keep doing that?"  
  
"Doing what?"   
  
"Looking at me like that?"   
  
Korse paused.  
  
"They think you're a spy Micheal Way." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this ones kind of short.   
> Also yes, here I am adding this kinda shit to my stories cause I really like hurting my fav characters. Anyways, I hope you liked it!


	3. All the lies we tell ourselves

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so like, I know I said I'd update sooner than this, but lot's of really shitty stuff happened. So basically the musical I was gonna be in was cancelled this summer, they cancelled the rest of my senior year, and basically I won't graduate until August. Like I might not get to walk at graduation cause i'll have already left for college so that's snazzy. Anyway cause of this I had a panic attack and then went into major depressive episode for three days straight and then I physically couldn't get anything done for like a whole week cause executive dysfunction. So I'm a trainwreck. Anyway, mania hit me today hard and I've had three redbulls, some pizza flavored goldfish, and like finished this chapter five minutes ago. So here. More angst. I'm sad, you get to be too.  
> There's mentions of top surgery in this chapter. Not super huge to anything but thought i'd mention it.  
> Trigger warning for misgendering, a panic attack, and Korse being a dickwad. Also mentions of death and stuff. And suicide but it's not explicit.

After the events at the radio station, Jet managed to to pull himself together long enough for both Show Pony and Dr. Death Defying to trust him to take his two crewmates back to the diner. Despite the aching in his chest and the almost irresistible urge to break down, he managed to convince Party and Ghoul to get in the 'am, his voice cracking when he mentioned that they'd be back for Kobra's bike at some point.   
  
The three of them made it back to the diner just after sundown.   
  
As they pulled up, Jet was realizing that he was now going to have to explain to Cherri Cola, that his boyfriend was dead.  
  
He'd somehow have to figure out how to explain it to Motorbaby.   
  
Letting out a shaking breath, Jet threw a glance at Party who was staring dazedly out the window.   
  
"How do we tell them," Ghoul choked out, the first sound to cut through the silence since they had left Dr. D's.   
  
Jet watched Party flinch as he responded, "I don't know. But we have to."   
  
Shutting off the car, Jet stepped out, just soon enough to catch the curly-haired six year old who was running at him. Cherri was standing farther behind The Girl, by the entrance to the diner, looking at Jet expectantly.   
  
"Hey there sweetheart," he said, swinging her into his arms, trying to ignore Cherri's stare that felt like it was boring into him. "How was hanging out with Cherri?   
  
"It was fun! He showed me how to do Kobra's cube puzzle," She glanced around, "Where is he? He's been gone a long time for a supply run." 

"Don't worry about it," Jet said, trying to hide the pain that was threatening to strangle him. "Why don't we go in and you show me how to do that puzzle."   
  
"Okay, but can we wait? I want to show Kobra too."   
  
God was this kid trying to kill him? Glancing over the baby killjoy's shoulder, he saw Cherri approaching them. The smile on his face fell when he saw Jet's expression, and he glanced around, making eye contact with a red eyed Fun Ghoul and a dazed and pale Party Poison. 

  
"Hey Honey," Cola called, "It was a long drive, they've gotta be tired. And it's past your bedtime ain't it?"   
  
The girl shrugged as Jet put her down, but did as she was told. She stopped shortly for a moment, like she wanted to ask something, but she'd never seen Party look the way he did in the moment. It terrified her enough to not ask any questions, and to scurry into the diner.  
  
Silence hung in the air, heavy not only from the humidity, but also from an unasked question that Cherri wasn't sure he could physically say aloud.   
  
"Cherri he's fucking ghosted, " Party choked out. They had never really liked him. Party had been uneasy about the age --despite that it rarely mattered in the Zones, Dr. D and Show Pony being an example-- and Cherri's past waverunner tendencies. But in that moment, Party decided the responsibility of telling the person who loved his brother more than anything was his. Because Kobra was gone, and it was his fucking fault.   
  
Cola's stomach dropped, as his entire body went completely numb.  
He wasn't really sure what happened after that, but all of a sudden he was sitting in a booth inside the diner. He had likely dissociated, as Kobra had told him it was called, quite badly, which would explain why he couldn't remember the previous night.   
  
There were no signs of the Girl. None of Party or Ghoul either. It was likely the two were curled up together in Party's room, and Girly was in her storage-closet bedroom. Kobra had helped hang up a hammock and deck the room out in things she liked when she told the Four that she wanted her own space a couple months previous. Cola'd learned from Kobra that the room had these paintings all over the walls. Party had done them, and it was the most time he'd spent on any project he'd been doing.   
  
Finally beginning to fall back into reality, Cherri noticed that Jet sat across from him, nose in a book, as the sun was beginning to stream in through the window. His stomach began to drop again, as reality set in, and he stood silently, Jet watching him go, as he disappeared into the back of the diner.   
  
The silence in the diner would usually be refreshing, as it was rarely ever quiet, but now it just echoed with the empty loss that Jet knew they were all feeling. Setting his book down on the table in front of him, he rested his elbows on the table, putting his face in his hands.   
  
The padding of feet broke him from his thoughts, and a tired girl slunk into the main area of the diner.   
  
"Hey honey, didn't you sleep?" He asked frowning.   
  
"Couldn't," she muttered, crawling into Jet's lap. "You know I'm not a baby."   
  
"'Course kiddo, what's this about?" He asked, wrapping her in a hug.   
  
The youngest killjoy's eye's filled with tears, and she threw her arms around his neck.   
  
"Kobra's gone isn't he?" She asked, her voice small, and Jet's heart broke.   
  
"Yeah Honey."   
  
"I wish I got to say goodbye," She hicupped, burying her face into his shoulder  
  
"Me too."   
  
"Can I mail him a letter."   
  
"'Course, you don't even have to ask."  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"No, that's not possible," Kobra growled. "Why the fuck would you say that."   
  
"You all think there's no way that we can hear your Doctor's broadcasts. That your resistance is so infalible. You don't even stop to think that we often hear your signals when we are out in the desert. We connected in Zone 3. Heard that awful music, and that worse DJ, talking about the brother of the resistance leader being missing. His dissapearance being suspect. The DJ knows of the recommendation for you to join the S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W unit before you ran from us. And your lack of argument with your brother which kept you in his good graces and as his right hand. A rather inconspicuous position for a spy. Almost a perfect one."   
  
Korse turned to look at him, that pitying smile settled on his face.   
  
"Party would never believe that, neither would the others in my crew."  
  
"They were the ones that apparently brought it to Death as a concern, Micheal."   
Kobra flinched at the use of his name. The last time it had been used was when Party thought they were going to die from an infection and were saying goodbye.   
  
"I don't believe you," The blonde killjoy repeated, though it was less fiery. Weaker this time.   
  
"You don't have to. It's not necessary that you believe me. I just thought you'd want to know, when you finally realize that your brother isn't coming for you, why that is. Gerard and your friends are going to leave you here with us."   
  
Kobra grit his teeth, and pushed himself against the wall. As far away as he could possibly get from the exterminator.   
  
"They're not my brother, asshole."   
  
"Don't lie to me Micheal."   
  
"He's my sibling, not my brother!" The Kid shouted. 

Korse's pitying expression curled into a smile, and he waved a hand at one of the draculoids at the door, who swiped a key to unlock the cell.   
  
"Thank you for the information Micheal."   
  
"How did you find that out?" Kobra stared at Korse, realizing for the first time that he'd done nothing to give away his first name at anytime during his captivity.   
  
"What are you asking about?"   
  
"The name you're calling me."  
  
"The Draculoids reported scarring on your chest. Just because we allow gender reassignment does not mean many are allowed it by the company. It was quite easy to find you once we narrowed it down. We just needed confirmation, and with the acknowledgment of your brother, we can say for a fact we now have your identities. I do appreciate the cooperation."  
  
Kobra Kid paled at the realization of what he'd done. If they did already think he was a spy, this would surely strengthen that theory once the wanted posters with their birth names went out.   
  
Turning on his heel, the exterminator left, the call door locking behind him.   
  
Kobra's heart started to race, and the feeling of an oncoming panic attack filled the killjoy. Curling up into ball, the killjoy grabbed his hair and tugged, beginning to hyperventilate. Thoughts of being better off dead began filling Kobra's head, and he really didn't disagree with them. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hahahahahh fuck. My heart is beating so fast. Dont drink too many energy drinks. it's bad for you kids. Anyway I hope you enjoyed. Sorry it's short and unedited but like I need to drink some water and relax so I don't die. See y'all later,.


	4. When We Don't Have an Answer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! So this chapter has some mentions of panic attacks and death so just be aware. Also some swearing.

Days came and went. Cherri had left the diner a couple days earlier, right after Dr, Death Defying had announced Kobra's ghosting over the waves, throwing himself into jobs for Tommy Chow Mein to fight off the urge to lay in the sun and bake his brain into a radiation fueled delirium.  
  
Fun Ghoul had appeared from Party's room around the time that Cherri left, eyes puffy and red, rung with dark circles that looked like bruises.   
  
He slipped into the booth across from Jet, who was leafing through a zine. _Remaining Three of the_ _Fabulous Four ghosted in a clap off Route Guano_ it's headline stated. It was funny. They'd been in the diner for so long at this point that the zones had started to think they were all gone. 

"What if Kobra isn't dead." Ghoul asked breaking the silence, and Jet flinched at the first voice he'd heard, besides The Girl's, in days. Tears pricked at his eyes again, and he silently cursed himself.   
  
"Ghoul..."   
  
"We never saw him Jet," Ghoul choked. "We don't have any proof."  
  
"Dr. D heard-" Jet started, but was cut off by the younger killjoy.   
  
"I don't care what Death thinks he heard!" Ghoul nearly shouted, the sound echoing through the quiet of the diner. Realizing he was yelling, the dark haired killjoy quieted,  
  
"Look we don't have any proof. And I can't say anything to Poison 'cause if they gets their hopes up and it ain't true it'll kill them. But I need you to listen. I trust D, but he could be wrong. There wasn't any blood when we were out there. There's not tangible proof."  
  
He was right, Jet knew. There wasn't any full proof. But Death had heard it over Better Living's waves, and as far as he knew the company had no idea that they had ears in their waves.   
  
"They don't know we can hear them, if Kobra wasn't dead, why would they say he is?"   
  
"I-" Ghoul started, then stopped. "I don't know Jet, but it doesn't feel like he's gone. He can't be and if he is, we need to go into the city and get him!"  
  
"There isn't any proof he's alive either Ghoul. We can't go in guns blazing for nothing!"   
  
Footsteps signaled the entrance of the Girl, which cut off the conversation. A curly haired six year old appeared in the doorway, and her eyes widened.  
  
"Ghoulie!" She yelled, running towards them, and jumping into the dark haired killjoy's lap, throwing her arms around his neck in a tight hug. "You didn't come out of Party's room for so long."   
  
"Sorry Girly," He said, resting his chin on the top of her head.   
  
"Is Party comin' out soon too?" She asked into his shoulder, and Ghoul caught Jet's eyes.   
  
"I don't think so, Party isn't feeling too good."   
  
"Is he sick?" She asked "Is he gonna be okay?"   
  
Ghoul's breath caught in his throat at the question, and he stared at Jet, silently asking for help. The thought of Party dying too made the dark haired killjoys heart begin to race.   
  
"Were gonna take care of him Honey," The oldest killjoy told them. "It's gonna be okay."  
  
And Ghoul really hoped he was right.   
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The past couple day's for Kobra consisted of questions from the Draculoids, and then tasers and beatings when he refused to respond. Korse hadn't been back since he had told the Killjoy about his supposed double-agent status.   
  
As the days passed, and no-one came for him, guns blazing in a bright flurry of color, Kobra grew more and more terrified that his family saw him as a traitor. That they weren't coming.   
  
Laying on his back, he stared at the ceiling. The bruises on his face and stomach ached. His head was pouding. Everything hurt.   
The Kid heard the sound of his cell door opening, and squeezed his eyes shut, hoping to block out the bright-whiteness of the room, and the sharp pain it caused to shoot through his head.   
  
"Get up," Korse's voice rang out through the cell, and the sound rattled around the killjoys skull.

After an extended silence, Korse sighed, loudly, and Kobra was grabbed by his arms and pulled upright. His stomach turned and the room spun. Spots danced in his vision, and  
by the time it cleared he was eye to eye with the exterminator.   
  
"You are going to die today."   
  
Kobra blanched.   
  
"What?" He croaked out. Only yesterday they'd been beating the shit out of him, prying for information. Now they were going to kill him.   
  
"I was hoping that you could tell us what we wanted to know, and then we would fix you. Make it like Kobra Kid," He spat the name like it was an acid on his tongue, "never existed, and Micheal Way grew up an only child in Battery City." 

The killjoy's stomach dropped at the thought of forgetting his sibling.  
  
He pushed a strand of Kobra's hair out of his face, and then brushed a thumb lightly over the large bruise running from the bridge of the Killjoy's nose, to under his eye, and up over his cheekbone.   
  
"We'd made such good progress too, what with you confirming your own identity, and that of your brother's," The exterminator's face fell into one of dissappointment. "But you  
stopped talking. I suppose I went about it the wrong way. I didn't realize it would make you less willing to talk. But it's fine. We'll do it the hard way."   
  
Korse turned away from him, and left the cell, The Kid being dragged behind him, doing his best to keep up on an ankle that had been crushed under a boot the day before. His head was spinning and it was hard to keep track of the turns that they took. Everything was so white and the lights were flourescent, sending spikes of pain into his aching head.   
  
Eventually, they came to a stop at a door. Korse punched in a passcode, and a door slid open to reveal a metal table with restraints, and a bunch of foreboding machinery and  
wires that Kobra, despite his techieness, had never seen before.   
  
The dracs manhandled him onto the table and, as he felt the coldness seep through his shirt and the fabric of his pants, the ache slowly began to stop and the world stopped spinning so bad. He didn't fight when the restraints were tightened around his wrists or his ankles. He yelped when it was tightened around his broken one.   
  
When the buckled the one at his neck, though, his heart started to race. He didn't want to die.  
  
A rubber piece was pressed into his mouth to bite down on, and he started to tug at the restraints, beginning to become frantic.   
  
"It's alright, don't fight." Korse said, resting a hand his forehead. "You're okay Mikey."   
  
At the use of the old nickname, Korse's voice seemed to meld into Gerard's.   
_  
"You're okay Mikey," Gee said, holding onto him as the worst of the panic attack began to fade._  
 _  
"They're gonna send me away. The S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W program. I- I can't..."_  
 _  
"We'll leave before they can," Gee ran their hand through his hair. "We're gonna be okay."_  
  
The memory was lost at the feeling of rubber at his temples.   
  
There was a sudden burning pain, and everything went white.   
\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
In Zone 4, a figure drifted through the wall of the diner, leaving feathers in it's wake. It settled it's sights on a killjoy, laying on a mattress wrapped up in a blanket. They were zoned out, staring silently at the wall, and holding tightly to a red leather jacket.   
  
"Party Poison."   
  
The oldest killjoy shot up, and pulled out a yellow raygun. He leveled it at the figure.

"What are you doing here."   
  
"You can't waste away," It told him, hovering off the floor. 

"Why didn't you save him?" Party let out a dry sob. 

"I choose who lives and dies." It said.

"Why did you choose for him to die?" 

"I didn't." It paused, and began to sink down through the floor. "Don't waste away Party Poison."   
  
With that the Phoenix Witch disappeared, and after a minute frozen, as he tried to figure out what she meant, Party threw their raygun at the wall.   
  
"Fuckin' cryptic bitch," They muttered, running a hand through disheveled red hair. 


	5. Don't Let Me Lie Down

"Kooooobra."   
  
Slowly the nothingness turned into desert. A night sky twinkling with stars, and a colorful mailbox coming into view. Kobra Kid's feet sank into the cold sand, and he'd never felt more at home. His ankle didn't even hurt.   
  
"Kooooobra Kid."   
  
A sing song voice caught his attention, and a masked figure floated in front of the mailbox. Her arms were wrapped in bandages and she wore a cloak of feathers. Her fingernails looked like talons. Everything about her screamed monster. But she wasn't. She was the most terrifyingly beautiful thing he had ever seen.   
  
"There you are," despite not being able to see her face, it sounded like she was smiling. 

"You're the Witch." He said breathlessly, and then in realization, "am I dead."   
  
"You should be," She told him, closing the distance, "but it isn't your time yet."  
  
She grabbed The Kids hands, and pulled him to sit down in the sand with her. She conjured up a blanket, and let it drop over Kobra's shoulders.   
  
"You've been through a lot these past days."   
  
The Kid nodded, scooping up the dust and letting it run through his fingers. The desert was his home, and he couldn't begin to describe how much he missed it.   
A cold hand settled onto the back of Kobra's neck, and the killjoy pulled the blanket around him a little tighter.   
  
"Am I actually here, or is this a hallucination?"  
  
"You'll know in the morning." 

"If this is real, why did you save me?"   
  
"There's more that you must do," She told him. "Party Poison, Fun Ghoul, and Jet Star need you if they want to fulfill their destiny. If you want to fulfill that child's destiny."  
  
"You're rather cryptic," Kobra smiled. It felt like the first one in a long time.   
  
"So I'm told."   
  
"I don't mind."   
  
"You're sibling does." The Witch chuckled. It was melodious. Kobra liked her laugh. " They can't stand it."

There was silence for a moment.   
  
"How will I help them fulfill their destiny if they hate me? If they can't trust me?" 

"You'll find that out in your own time child," She guided him to lay down, his head resting on her crossed legs. "Sleep."   
  
Exhaustion caught up to him.   
  
"I don't want to die."   
  
"You're safe Kobra Kid." The Witch whispered. "Rest."   
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Kobra groaned as consciousness came back to him in pieces. First it was the feeling of sand underneath his back. Next was the brightness of the sun peaking through his eyelids and the sound of dust shifting beneath him.  
  
He must've been in a bike accident. Poison was going to chew him out for not being careful enough, and he was not excited for that talk.   
  
Cracking his eyes open, Kobra hissed and squeezed his eyes shut, fumbling around on the ground looking for his helmet or sunglasses. The attempt seemed to be futile, so he attempted to open his eyes again. This time it was more bearable. The world slowly slid into focus, as he pushed himself to sit up.   
  
Glancing down at his clothes, the memories of the past few days pushed their way into his mind, and he choked back a sob. The only color to his clothes was a brownish red stains that dotted the front of his shirt, and a similar red seeping through the bandages that were wrapped around his wrists.   
  
God, everything hurt and he just wanted his sibling. But Party wouldn't want him. Not after what they thought he'd done. Why did the Witch save him. She should have just let him die.   
  
After wallowing for a while, he attempted to stand, nearly collapsing at the pain from his shattered ankle.  
  
Looking around he realized that he had no clue where he was. Despite the fact that he thought he knew the zones like the back of his hand, waking up in the desert with a concussion, after getting dropped there by a magical deity, well that was bound to fuck you up. However, he was on the side of what he assumed to be the Get Away Mile, so if  
he followed it for long enough he might find someone willing to help him. Someone who didn't think that he was a BLI rat.   
  
Or maybe he'd die of dehydration or heat stroke first and would that really be that bad? It would just un-complicate things.   
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Hey Newsie, how far till we hit Zone 5?" DJ Hot Chimp asked her partner as her van sped down Route Guano. 

"Pro'lly five minutes," Newsagogo replied, tapping into a laptop that they'd nabbed from a Drac van, after they'd dusted them in a clap. "Dunno why Tommy couldn'ta just had Cherri take this shit out to him. It ain't our job."  
  
"He offered good money hun, and Cherri hasn't been-," Chimp was cut off by News, causing her to slam on the breaks.   
  
"Holy shit look," Newsie barked. "How'd a city bat get out this far?"   
  
Chimp looked out and saw a kid in all white curled up on the side of the road, obviously completely out and covered in dried blood. It couldn't be good.   
  
"I’m gonna go check on them," Chimp told them. "Stay in the car unless I tell you to come out and help, kay?"   
  
"Yeah, sure. Just stay where I can see you babe."   
  
Chimp opened her driver's side and jumped out, moving slowly as she approached the body. Kneeling down next to him, sand sticking to her pink leather pants, she tugged on his shoulder, rolling him onto his back. She nearly had a heart-attack at what she saw.   
  
"Newsie!" The blonde killjoy shouted as she pressed her fingers to Kobra Kid's throat feeling for a pulse.   
  
Newsagogo immediately jumped out of the van rushing over to their girlfriend in concern. 

"What's wr- is that Kobra Kid? I thought he was dead."   
  
"He's gotta pulse, and it's strong. But he's probably dehydrated and we need to get his injuries tended to. "  
  
"Where should we take him? Diner's all the way back on the other side of Zone 4."   
  
"Let's just keep headin' to D's. I know he and Show have supplies there. But we do have a first aid kit in the back so I'm gonna try and patch him up a little, so you get to drive.  
Please don't kill us." Chimp eyed her partner.  
  
"I'll try not to," News said, tugging at the hem of their black and white shirt. "You need help getting him in the van?"   
  
"Please."   
  
With that Chimp managed to pull Kobra up and get one of his arms around her shoulder, while her partner took his other side. They managed to get him layed out in the back of the van, before News slammed the door and then hopped in the driver's seat.   
  
Pulling out the first aid kid, Chimp found some bandages, and did her best to patch up the huge burn marks that sat at Kobra's temples, as her heart squeezed in fear over what had happened to the poor kid. These looked like torture wounds. She'd seen enough as an EMT during the wars and yet she'd never did get used to it.  
  
Kobra groaned, and Chimp took that as a good sign. Sitting next to him, she grabbed his hand and whispered, "we're gonna get you back to your crew and that boyfriend of yours, alright kiddo? You're gonna be just fine."   
  
"Chimp?" He croaked.   
  
"Hey, yeah kiddo, it's me. I need you to drink this."   
  
"'kay."   
  
She twisted off the cap from a bottle of water, and helped the killjoy sit up. He grunted a little as it irritated his ribs. He nearly forgot about, though, when the bottle was pressed to his lips.   
  
"Slow down, we don't want you to make yourself sick," She said moving to sit behind him, so he could lean against her. "That better?"   
  
He nodded, resting against her.   
  
"Thanks," He coughed, letting his eyes slip back closed.   
  
"Ain't a problem kiddo."   
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Show Pony was sitting outside the radio station with Dr. Death Defying, when Chimp's van tore down the road and pulled to a stop right outside the front entrance.   
  
"Kobra Kid's alive." Newsie said, as she leapt out of the drivers seat. 

"Well hello to you too, Crash Queen," Death said.   
  
"What?" Cherri, who had been showing up lately when he was fighting off the worst urges to relapse, bit out angrily after a few seconds of no elaboration.   
  
"Yeah. When we found him on the side of the road, we thought he was dead, but he's okay. Woke up on our way over."   
  
Just as News said that, the back door of the van opened, revealing a slightly destressed looking DJ Hot Chimp attempting to support Kobra as he moved to get out.   
Cherri was frozen. His dead boyfriend was right there. The dead boyfriend who was supposed to be lying in a BLI morgue was in front of him.   
  
And then he was moving towards them.   
  
As Kobra's bare feet hit the sand, and Chimp moved quickly to stabilize him so he wouldn't fall, Cherri grabbed the blond killjoy's face and stared at him. Taking in everything. The giant bruise covering half his face, the blood caked under his nose. The burn marks at his temples.  
  
Those brown eyes.   
  
"Cherri." Kobra breathed, voice hitching as if he was unsure whether it was really happening.  
  
"Kobra, thank the Witch."   
  
Why was Cherri so happy to see him? He had heard that Kobra was a spy, hadn't he? He should hate him.   
  
Chimp quickly slipped away from the two of them as Cola wrapped him in his arms, and Kobra buried his face in the crook of Cherri's neck. He deciding it didn't matter at the moment. Right now, he could rest in the comfort of his boyfriend's embrace and pretend that everything was going to be fine.  
  
Death and Show watched the reunion from a ways back, and Pony slipped their hand into D's.   
  
"I can't explain to you how glad I am that you were wrong, " Show said quietly.   
  
"Me too," Death responded, squeezing their hand. 


	6. On the World Around Us

Jet had decided that someone in the diner needed to step the fuck up and actually start functioning. They had a 6-year old to take care of, and a revolution to lead.  
They were running low on Powerpup and and battery packs for the rayguns, and the oldest killjoy was hoping a run up to grab supplies might lessen the fog of grief that was weighing heavy on his brain.   
  
Pushing the main door to the diner open, Jet stepped out into the blistering heat. Making his way around to the right side of the diner, the eldest killjoy pulled himself up the latter that was always leaning up against the wall. Kobra often went up there late at night to smoke, until Party or Cherri would come get him and take him back to bed.   
  
At this moment however, the figure sitting on the roof was The Girl, a somber look on her face as she twisted a small, brightly colored cube. Jet recognized it as the puzzle she had wanted to show Kobra days prior.   
  
"Hey there honey," he called, and she jumped a little, startled by the sudden noise. "I'm going on a drive up to Chow Mein's. I was thinkin' you should come with. I need someone to watch my back."  
  
The look on her face didn't change like it usually would. Normally her face would brighten at the idea of a trip. Getting blast loud music as they tore through the sand, excitement and noise being the only things on the killjoy's minds. And then stopping at Dr. D's on the way back to visit Show Pony  
  
"Okay." She said quietly after a minute, looking back down at her hands. "I'll be down in a second."  
  
Nodding, Jet jumped down, and slowly walked over to the Trans 'Am. When he turned around to pull open the door, he saw Girly coming over to the car, the cube still clutched in her hand. He slipped into the driver's seat, and she slid in next to him.   
  
"Buckle that," Jet gestured at the seatbelt and she nodded.   
  
Jet pulled away from the diner, and the youngest killjoy leaned her head against the window.   
  
After a couple minutes of driving The Girl broke the silence.   
  
"Does it ever stop hurting?"   
  
"No honey, not really " Jet replied, voice cracking as he tried to stuff down the ache that was hanging in his chest. He remebered the loss of his first crew, all of them gone in a clap. Him left lying on his side, hole in his leg and silence wrapping around him. "One day you'll wake up and when you think about him it'll still hurt, but not so bad. And you'll   
be able to move on just enough to know that you're okay again."   
  
"Do you think he knew I loved him? I didn't say it much, cause he always looked like he didn't know what to say when I said it and everyone was mad at everyone else when he left, and I was gonna tell him when he got back but-" Tears were rising in her eyes, as her rant cut off, and Jet could barely comprehend that this was a concern for her. "I just   
know that he loved me, cause he gave me tapes for my boom box, and he let me help with the Vend-a-hack, but did he know?"   
  
"Of course he did, Girly, of course he did," His eyes moved from the road ahead of him to glance at her. "Ya know, let me tell you a story. Three years ago when we found you, Kobra was thirteen- actually more like fourteen I think, I dunno exactly. Anyway, at that point all four of us had only been a crew for a short amount of time, and I don't think I'd seen The Kid smile once. Anyway, we were all sitting around the diner after a clap, and you crawled over to Kobra, with no hesitance, and sat right in his lap.   
  
At first I thought the poor kid was going to explode, he looked so unsure of what to do. But after a second, he hugged you and you laughed and all of a sudden The Kid's got this grin on his face, and Party's gawkin' at the two a' you cause believe it or not they don't see The Kid smile or show much affection very often either.  
Ever since that day, Sweetheart, you became one of the most important people in his life and he's known that you love him. Don't you ever worry about that."   
  
The Girl nodded, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hands, and then leaned back up against the window.   
  
The radio on the dash crackled to life, and Fun Ghoul's voice filled the car.   
  
_"Jet come in, now!"_  
  
The girl reached for the radio, and pressed the button on the side.   
  
"I'm here, and Jet can hear you too Ghoulie."   
_  
"What the fu- heck man, where'd you two run off to?"_  
  
"Trying to get up and keep running. We-"  
 _  
"Okay Jet I don't care, fill me in later. Show Pony just radioed the diner. You need to get the 'Am back here. Death needs us up at the radio station. Look, they found Kobra. He's alive."_  
  
Jet whipped the car around so quickly that it made The Girl's head spin, and tore back down the road the way they had come.   
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
When the transmission from Show Pony came through Ghoul was sitting at the counter only around ten minutes after Jet and The Girl had taken off. The radio had crackled to life and nearly scared the shit out of him. No one had the audacity at this point to disturb the mourning revolution leaders.   
  
_"Hey Jet Star come in."_  
  
"It's Ghoul, Jet and the Girl just left. Jet didn't tell me they were leavin', so I don't gotta clue where they're going."  
  
 _"Well you're gonna wanna get them back to the diner and get to the station quick."_  
  
The urgency in their voice perked up the dark-haired killjoy, "What the fuck's going on up there Pony?"   
  
_"Don't freak or start screamin' that I'm bullshittin' you okay?"_ Show Pony's voice crackled through the static. _"We got The Kid up here. Alive and as well as possible given the circumstances."  
_  
"Kobra?" Ghoul breathed.   
  
_"Yeah, I'd let you talk to him now, but he's with Cola and I don't wanna tear them away from each other. Look, go get your boy and call Jet and then get your asses here."_  
  
"Yeah, we'll be there soon."   
  
After radioing Jet, Ghoul quietly got up and moved to the doorway of Party's room, not sure how to introduce the subject to the red-haired killjoy. He lightly tapped on the door and then pushed the door open.   
  
Poison was sitting up, back against the wall, and a blanket on their lap. Kobra's jacket was on top of the blanket, and Poison's hands were curled into the fabric, picking at   
fraying edges. It was progress from the past couple of days where they hadn't moved from their curled up position, the jacket pulled tight to their chest.   
  
Sitting down on the mattress, Ghoul shifted over to sit next to them, leaning his head on their shoulder.   
  
"Hi," Party mumbled, voice scratchy from disuse.   
  
"Hey Pois," he said, grabbing their hand and pulling it into his lap. Party leaned their head to rest on Ghoul's.   
  
"I saw the Witch last night," they muttered. Party Poison's meetings with the witch weren't abnormal. She spoke to him often, but he rarely talked about it despite it being common knowledge between the four. "She got all cryptic, sayin' she didn't choose for him to die, but she had to. Otherwise he'd still be here."  
  
"Uh, Party, I think I know what she means," Ghoul said, startled, pulling back from Poison. Poison's head shot up and Ghoul looked them in the eyes. "I just was radioed by Show Pony. It's what I came in here to tell you. Don't freak out, okay?"   
  
"Just tell me what it is," Party snapped.   
  
"Okay, look, Show just said that, well, they found your brother alive. And he's not dying or anything. He's up at D's, and that we should head there. Jet should be back any minute so we can go. "   
  
Party stopped for a minute, staring at Fun Ghoul like he'd just grown three extra heads. They then let out what could only be described as a stifled wail, and threw themselves against Ghoul, who at first froze, and then tightly wrapped his arms around his partner, pressing a kiss onto the side of their head.   
  
The rumble of the Trans Am from the front of the diner caused Party to break the embrace, and stood up, grabbing their jacket and slipping it on, and then grabbed their brother jacket and the ray gun that still layed on the floor from where it was thrown the night previous.   
  
Ghoul stood and nodded to Party, and the two left the bedroom as Party's face slipped into the fierce facade that screamed leader of the Fabulous Killjoys, and as Ghoul hoped that this all wasn't too good to be true.   
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"It's good to see you Kid," Death told Kobra, after Cherri Cola and Show Pony had helped him inside, and managed to sit him down on the couch. A blanket had been tucked around him and a can that stated emergency water with BLI's label on the side had been pushed into his hand.  
 _  
Was it good though_ , Kobra wondered.   
  
Instead of saying what he was thinking though, he nodded and stayed silent. He leaned his head on Cherri's shoulder, who was sitting next to him, an arm wrapped tightly around his waist and Cherri's other hand holding his. Like he was afraid that if he let go, Kobra would disappear.   
  
"You mind telling me what happened to your head there?" Dr. Death Defying asked, looking at him with concern.  
  
Or was it pity? Like Korse's pity.   
  
Fear shot through him, and he straightened up.  
  
Was D going to question him like Korse did? For information about BLI he didn't have? Give him that same pitying look that Korse did when he said nothing, this time not out of choice? Was he going to ask what he knew, that if he was a spy, and when he didn't get what he wanted...   
  
No, no way. This was Dr. Death Defying. The man that took him and Party in when they were dehydrated and hungry, after escaping the city. Who introduced them to Jet when all of them needed a crew. Who had dumped the actual rat bastard that was Fun Ghoul on their doorstep knowing full well that they'd all grow together to become a kickass crew.   
  
Who had done his best to help them raise an actual child. Despite the fact that she was never his problem to begin with, he had gone out of his way to make sure that she and the rest of the four had everything they needed.   
  
No, actually Kobra was more like Korse than anyone in the room. He had given him up. Given them Dr. Death Defying's name. He had betrayed his sibling. They had dug information out of him and he didn't even fight.   
  
"Kobra, baby, please say something," Cola choked out, breaking him out of his thoughts. It made his heart tighten at the fear and pain in his boyfriends voice.   
  
"I-I'm sorry," He wasn't sure what precisely he was apologizing for. Giving them up. Not knowing what they'd been trying to do to him at the end. Letting himself be taken. Everything maybe. "I don't know. I'm sorry."   
  
Death pushed himself forward so that he was right in front of Kobra, and reached forward, taking the free hand that wasn't being clutched by Cola. It was at moments like these when he remembered that The Kobra Kid was only seventeen. That all of the Fabulous Killjoys were just barely, if even, adults.   
  
"Listen to me, Kid, none a' this is your fault. I need you to understand that. Whatever they made you say, it's not your fault."   
  
Now Kobra was confused.   
  
If it wasn't his fault why didn't his crew come for him. Why did he get caught in the first place. Why did he fight with Ghoul. Why did he fight with Poison.   
It was his fault. With the information he had given them, BL/Ind could hurt the killjoys with it. Print his and Poison's city names. Finally get D's face on an Exterminate poster.   
Could figure out who Fun Ghoul was before he left the city.   
  
But Kobra was so tired. Tired of being confused, of being in pain, of wanting to die. So he muttered out,"Okay."   
  
Death pursed his lips, squeezed Kobra's hand.   
  
"Your crew is coming. They should be here soon, Kiddo."   
  
Kobra nodded again, and then leaned his head back onto Cola's shoulder. 


	7. Don't Let Me Get Down

The thing that terrified Party the most was the state that they would find their brother in once they went inside the station.

They had seen DJ Hot Chimp dart inside, likely to alert the others of the their arrival, leaving Newsagogo, Chimp's girlfriend, eyeing them warily from the bench that sat near the station's entrance, with an old laptop balancing on her knees.

They didn't know Newsie very well. She was known as a recluse who liked to hide out in what likely used to be an old skate shop with her girlfriend. Usually you had to go to her if you needed something. It was odd seeing her this far away from the skate park. Or outside during the day.

Poison hadn't driven again, too concerned with getting up to D's as fast as possible. Getting out of the passenger side, they didn't wait for Jet, Ghoul or Girly like they usually would. They just kept moving, hoping that this was real. Hoping it wasn't a sick joke.

Pulling open the door to the station, Party squinted as their eyes adjusted from the brightness of the sun outside, and when their vision focused, the noticed Death in front of the couch, which held two other people. One of which was Cherri Cola, who was wrapped around a smaller form, who was dressed in all white. Who had bleached blonde hair.

"Kobes..." Party trailed off, feeling like all of the air had been taken from their lungs.  
The Kid's head shot up from his boyfriend's shoulder, and the two stared at each other in silence, Poison's stricken face met with the completely blank face of their younger  
brother.

A sob broke the silence. Like a dam had been broken, the younger of the two's face crumbled.

"I'm so sorry," he gasped out. "Party, I-I'm s-sorry, please, I'm sorry I-I promise I-"

Party was across the room in less than a second, pulling their baby brother, who was near hysterics, into their arms. They had never seen them like this. Even in the throws of a panic attack. Kobra was still sobbing, the apologies turning into unintelligible desperate pleas for forgiveness and promises.

Party had no idea what he was apologizing for. They should be the ones apologizing for the things that were said before Kobra left on his own. Resting their chin on his head they swayed back and forth humming whatever came to mind between mindless assurances that Kobra had done nothing wrong, and that he was safe.  
Eventually sobs started to get choked off, until it was quiet sniffling and hiccups.

Party leaned back to study Kobra's face, which was covered in tears and bruises. Their stomach twisted at the burns that marred the sides of Kobra's face. Poison had never seen anything like those marks before.

"Witch, what the fuck did they do to you."

"Dunno. But it hurt."

Party let out a strangled half-laugh, half-sob.

"God I can't believe you're here. I thought- we all thought you were ghosted."

"What?" Kobra's eyebrows drew together in confusion.

"Yeah, Korse and the fuckers sent out this fake transmission after they figured out we had ears in their waves. Said they ghosted a 'joy out in Zone 4, and your bike, jacket and helmet were just left in the dust."

Then Kobra was sobbing again, leaning forward to tuck his head into the crook of Poison's neck.

"Hey, hey Kobes what's wrong?" Poison hugged their brother tighter, confusion and worry growing among the relief.

"Korse said you thought I was a mole, that everyone did," the younger killjoy rasped. "They said that it's why you hadn't come, why you wouldn't come."

It was like a punch to the face to hear that. That his little brother had been so terrified and hurt that he was so easily convinced that they hated him, that they would leave him there on purpose.

"And at first," Kobra continued. "I didn't believe him, cause it was basically his job to lie to me, but nobody came and then I didn't know what to believe anymore."

"Witch no, Mikey, I'd never leave you behind if I could help it. You are one of the most important people in my life, and nothing will change how much I love you."

It wasn't often that Poison used their real names or bared his emotions to other people, even to Kobra, and it tugged out a rare grin from the younger of the two.

"Love you too Gee."  
\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
All of the Killjoys who had been in the station when Party had come in, cleared out to give the siblings some privacy.

"Can we see Kobra yet?" The Girl begged. "I miss him and I don't want to miss him anymore."

"I think it might be okay for us to go in now.." Ghoul trailed off. "I don't want to disrupt, but Jet we gotta see him, I can't wait anymore."

"Okay, " Jet sighed. "Just don't be loud when you walk in there okay?"

Ghoul nodded quickly, and The Girl grabbed his hand. Jet followed the two as they entered into the radio station. The three were greeted with two teary-eyed red faced killjoys. One in all white, covered in bruises, burns, and bandages, the other wrapped around him, swaying and humming random melodies into the younger's hair.

"Kobra?" Girly asked quietly, and both killjoys glanced over. Kobra pushed himself to sit upright.

"Hey honey," His voice was raspy, and Jet wanted to cry. He was here. Alive.

The Girl ran and threw herself into his arms, causing a small oof from the blonde killjoy.

"You aren't allowed to do that ever again," she cried into his chest.

"I have no problems with that kid," he huffed out a laugh.

After a minute of silence, as Party played with the hair at the nape of Kobra's neck, The Kid sighed and said, "get over here."  
Immediatly Ghoul was there wrapping his arms around Kobra, and Jet was too.

If Kobra was to admit anything, it would be that the hugs weren't very comfortable. Actually they made his body ache. But it didn't matter. Because he had his crew, his family. And for now, at least, everything would be okay.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"There's something more there than The Kid just bein' hurt isn't there?" Pony asked Death as they draped their arms around his shoulders.

"I'd think so. I'm sure they put him through hell in the city. Really fucked with his head, more than likely."

"I don't get it, how could you do that to a kid," Pony asked, voice cracking. "I mean, he's still basically a baby and-"

"I know, but Korse doesn't care," Dr. Death sighed, and then after a pause, changed the subject, looking down at the ring on Pony's finger, "I hope you know how lucky I am to have you."

"Oh, babe, I know," Show Pony smirked, trying to lighten the heavy air. "I love you."

"I love you too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So finally a reunion and some clarity. Poison really loves his brother. Also Kobra feels really guilty for no reason that actually makes sense, and that's how the inside of my brain is so lmao. Also Doc and Pony are like peak married couple vibes and I just love it so yeah. I wanted to wait to post this chapter but then I got excited and decided to double post so here you go. Happy birthday even if it's not your birthday.


	8. When We're Dancing in the Dark

It'd been three days, and Kobra had stopped talking. 

The drive back from the radio station was a quiet affair with Jet at the wheel and Ghoul in the passenger seat. Poison was curled around their brother, who's head was resting on their shoulder, and The Girl, who was curled in the blond killjoys lap, was clinging to him in her sleep. Party was humming, and Kobra would mumble things back every now and then. 

Once they were back at the diner, though, Kobra Kid's quiet responses became head nods, or looks, but lacked any vocalization. At first Ghoul wasn't that weirded out. Kobra had been a pretty quiet person before he disappeared. 

But not like this. 

Eventually the looks stopped, the nods stopped, and The Kid seemed to be disappearing into his head. Party had tried to grab the younger's hand the day before, and the kid had pulled away, looking down at his boots. Jet had tried to offer to help Kobra stand and get him to his room when his ankle seemed to be bothering him. Kobra had shrunk back and shook his head, limping off to his room by himself. Ghoul had handed him a can of beans, instead of PowerPup, which was usually reserved for special occasions, and Kobra had bit his lip and looked away. Cherri had come by to visit, and Kobra had stayed curled up in his room. When Cola had gone into the room, and sat down on the mattress next to him, whispering how much he loved him and that he was there, Kobra seemed to not hear him. Seemed unaware of the room around him. 

Party's head was pillowed on his shoulder. Despite the fact that they were together, Party more often slept curled up with Kobra, because of the younger's nightmares and Ghoul's snoring. But Kobra would move off the bed and sleep on the floor now, Party told him, if they tried sleep the way they used to. Party didn't want that, especially because it was bad for their brother who was still injured, so he had begun sleeping with Ghoul. 

Ghoul was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard footsteps in the hallway. Their light, and quiet tread told him it was Kobra. Everything about The Kid was quiet. There was a quiet creak, which was the front entrance of the diner, and it shot Ghoul's heart into his throat. Doing his best to not wake his partner, he as quietly and quickly as possible, shuffled out of Poison's grasp and made his way out of the bedroom. Trying not to be loud, he as fast as possible walked through the empty main area of the diner. 

He was hoping Kobra didn't up and leave. If he disappeared again, it was likely that Poison would self-destruct,A and Ghoul wasn't sure that he could deal with that. 

A small thud caught his attention and he breathed out a sigh of relief. Kobra liked the roof. Would go up there when he couldn't sleep or when he wanted to be alone but didn't want to leave the diner. 

Going outside, Ghoul found the latter. He considered it for a second. 

_Would Kobra be mad at him for intruding?_

It didn't matter. He wanted to make sure the kid was okay. Maybe finally get the chance to apologize. 

Climbing up to the roof, he was greeted with the sight of Kobra, feet dangling over the edge of the roof with a cigarette hanging from his lips. Old radio next him, playing the endings of what Ghoul assumed was Cherri's poetry readings. The kid was wearing loose fitting sweatpants and an old button up of Poison's. Kobra's regular attire wasn't the most practical or easy to get on with Kobra's injuries. The clothes made him look small and like the teenager that he really was, Ghoul realized. 

"Hey," Ghoul said quietly, and Kobra winced a little, but didn't look at him. Just stared out at the desert beyond the diner. "I dunno what's going on in that head of yours, but you've gotta talk to us. Poison's freaked dude. Actually, we all are. We're worried about you." 

"Why?" The rasp of Kobra's voice suprised the older of the two. As much as he wanted Kobra to talk, he hadn't expected it. 

"The fuck do you mean why?" Ghoul growled, taken aback by the question. 

Kobra flinched. 

Ghoul softened his tone, and moved to sit by him, when he realized that Kobra probably thought he was angry. 

"What do you mean why?" he tried again. 

"You were right." 

"About what?" 

"About everything you said." 

The familiar ache of guilt crawled up Ghoul's throat. 

"Kobes-" 

"I don't belong here. I don't do anything for us. I'm just a stupid kid who can't take care of myself. Who gets caught and rats on my family. I don't deserve you guys. I shouldn't even be alive." 

"Okay first of all, none of that's fucking true. I was being a dick 'cause I was angry and I shouldn't have said it. I never should have said the fucking things that I did. And if you're thinking of -fuck- offing yourself cause of the shit I said-" 

"What the fuck Ghoul, no! No I'm not gonna fucking kill myself." Kobra's voice was still quiet and raspy, but it was still explosive and it suprised Ghoul. 

"Then what the fuck do you mean that you shouldn't be alive?" 

"I saw the Witch." 

"So?" Ghoul rose an eyebrow. "That bitch harasses Poison all the fucking time." 

"I saw the Witch after Korse told me he was going to kill me and then electrocuted me until I blacked out." 

"Oh." 

"Yeah, oh." 

"Is this what's making you all weird?" 

"Yeah, thinking you aren't worth shit and that you're a burden, and then being brought back from the dead by a deity that tells you that you have to fulfill your destiny will make you awfully existential." Kobra finally looked at Ghoul, exhaustion lining his face. 

"You know that's not true." 

"What?" 

"We need you. You are separate from Poison. You're so fucking smart. You've saved our asses so many times. When dracs took Pony hostage and you organized that fucking sneak attack that saved them. You remember shit so fucking easy. You rarely lose at a derby. And you use the winnings on us, not for yourself like you should. You are our family kid and we need you. The Witch kept you alive- brought you back- whatever the fuck she did, I don't know, because we need you. And I'm so fucking sorry that I ever made you doubt it." 

There was a sniffle. And Kobra had tears running down his face, and Ghoul paled. This was the first time he'd actually seen Kobra cry. He'd seen the aftermath before. Puffy eyes and red cheeks, but never actual tears. 

"Kobra, fuck, I didn't mean-" 

"They aren't bad tears you fucking dick. Stop saying shit like that." 

Fun Ghoul then, not knowing where it came from, decided to grab Kobra and pull him into a hug. 

Kobra didn't fight him. Actually hugged back, letting his head rest on Ghoul's shoulder. The first time that he was really letting anyone touch him in days and the person he was letting do so was the bastard that caused him to think he was useless. 

"I'm so sorry Kobes." 

"It's not your fault Ghoul. It's always been something I've thought about. I'm the younger brother of a revolution leader. The things I do don't add up too much comparatively. They think they need me, but they don't. They'd be just fine without me. You all would." 

"Not true." 

Kobra hummed, and it sounded to Ghoul like the equivalent of "whatever you say." 

It was about as good as he was going to get it tonight. It was actually a huge start, him getting Kobra to talk at all would have been enough. They sat in silence until the sun started to rise, and Doctor D's voice began to filter through the static on the waves. 

"Hey Ghoul," Kobra rasped. 

"What's up?" 

"Don't tell Poison what I said about not living up to him. Please." 

"I promise kid. But you are good enough." 

Kobra hummed that noncommittal thing again and it made Ghoul sigh. 

Ghoul really hoped that he had gotten through to the younger. 

And Kobra still felt like a burden. But maybe not as bad as he had before. 

**Author's Note:**

> I just love causing my favorite characters pain don't I? Oops. 
> 
> Anyway... Hey everybody, so here's a new story that I decided to write cause I wanted to get angsty and I've been hyper-fixating on My Chemical Romance recently. I hope you enjoy, and leave some comments if you want cause they make my day. I shouldn't be too long between uploads as long as this quarantine continues so yeah, enjoy and I'll see y'all in the next chapter.


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